Overview & Reviews

Nissan was born in Japan, and like other marques from its homeland, the brand is known for crafting vehicles that place an emphasis on quality and reliability. The company's roster of products is broad, and includes sporty coupes, family sedans, minivans, trucks and SUVs.

The automaker got its start in 1933 as the Jidosha Seico Co., Ltd. The following year, this outfit merged with another Japanese manufacturer, and the new company was christened Nissan Motor Company, Ltd. Nissan initially marketed its vehicles under the Datsun brand, with the first Datsuns being built in 1934. Postwar, the brand made its presence felt worldwide, building a partnership with the U.K.-based Austin Motor Co. and establishing a presence in the United States. The first Datsuns hit American shores in 1958. Vehicles like the Datsun 1000 were based on Austin platforms.

The '60s witnessed Nissan's merger with Prince Motor Company, a union that helped the Asian manufacturer create more luxury-focused vehicles. In the U.S. it began offering its first vehicle styled for the U.S. market, the Datsun 510 sedan. By the end of the decade, Datsun had exported more than 1 million vehicles. Datsun rose to prominence in the 1970s on the popularity of its 240Z sports car. Powered by an inline six-cylinder engine, the car was coveted for its blend of style, performance and affordability. By the time the '70s drew to a close, the automaker's cumulative vehicle exports had surpassed the 10 million mark.

In 1981, Nissan shelved the Datsun name and began selling vehicles worldwide under the Nissan moniker. The '80s also saw Nissan's launch of a tuning division called Nismo for the development of performance-oriented vehicles and accessories. Nissan also brought its production to American shores, with the construction of a Georgia-based plant.

The early '90s saw Nissan's fortunes rise in the U.S. thanks to fun-to-drive cars like the 300ZX, Maxima and Sentra. But this trend didn't last long and by the late '90s Nissan's offerings consisted of anonymous vehicles. The company's future was uncertain.

After the turn of the new century Nissan bounced back, helped by a 1999 alliance with Renault that boosted the company's finances. Its redesigned Sentra and Altima boosted sales and consumer interest, as did new models like the 350Z sports car, Armada SUV and Titan pickup. Today the manufacturer is known for offering a wide range of well-regarded vehicles, including the popular Murano SUV, the incredible GT-R supercar and the all-electric Leaf.

User Reviews:

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  Sports Car Power in a Compact Truck - 2005 Nissan Frontier
  By crailey01 - October 23 - 12:06 pm

  Right from the first start of the engine, I knew that the 2005 Nissan Frontier was one of a kind. This truck has sports car power with the versatility of a compact truck. The speed of this thing is incredibile for this size of vehicle. The ride is smooth and almost the quality of the Maxima except it has larger tires. I know I will be more than pleased with this vehicle. Typically, Nissans compact trucks are very reliable. I also test drove an 2005 Toyota Tacoma and it was no comparison to the Frontiers power.

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  Best car ever owned! - 1998 Nissan Maxima
  By Jess - October 22 - 7:23 pm

  I have owned my Maxima GXE for 7 years. This is by far the most reliable car I have ever owned. I have never had to have anything major done just normal replacements muffler, tires and brakes. I highly recommend this car to everyone. Its great to drive, comfortable and good on gas. I could go on and on about this car. I will drive it until it falls apart. It drives as if it were brand new and it has 140k miles on it.

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  Great Car - 2009 Nissan Altima
  By Jason - October 22 - 4:16 pm

  First car I have ever bought on my own. I was looking at the Honda accord coupe gti and and civic si, being that I am 26 I didnt want a " boy racer" so it came down to the altima and accord. The accord is a little bigger, but the altima drives like it weighs nothing and the look of the altima surpasses the accord hands down. Love the cockpit of a drivers seat love this car

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  i love my maxima - 1997 Nissan Maxima
  By evm912 - October 21 - 2:00 am

  I purchased my 1997 Nissan Maxima GLE almost 1 year ago and I am so happy with my decision. I had a 4 cylinder honda and the maxima is a 6, i will never go back to a 4 after this maxima. I purchased tme max with 38,000 miles, the car was like new. It runs amazing, drives very well, great acceleration and handling.I love everything about the car, the mechanics and also the interior... the leather, heated seats, moonroof, BOSE stereo (great quality sound system).

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  You get what You pay for - 2004 Nissan Altima
  By Mr. Vern - October 21 - 2:00 am

  Actually, my Nissan is a 2002 purchased in oct 2002. So, 2 yrs and 5 months reveals much about the car, and that is; reliable, reliable, reliable. The 3.5 still provides a lot of giddyup. My 63" friend remarked that he had more than ample head and leg room in the rear seat ! The trunk is more than spacious and fuel economy is still exceptional. All, things being equal pricing beat out camry (significantly) in final decision to buy

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  2004 Altima SE 5 Speed - 2004 Nissan Altima
  By nosajc - October 21 - 2:00 am

  I got an 04 SE 5 speed with floormats as my only option. Great car, very fast, lots of room, and handles decently. Even the gas mileage hovers around 27-28 when commuting at 75mph, which I am more than happy with. True, Nissan cut some costs on the interior, especially the door panels, and there is a good amount of torque steer when you gun it from a stop, but the build quality is excellent and I am very pleased so far. If you are looking for a new fairly inexpensive sedan with a powerful, flexible, and extremely reliable V6 and dont need a bunch of extra options, this car is tough to beat.

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  love my car! - 2004 Nissan Murano
  By ownerof my car - October 21 - 2:00 am

  best car I have ever owned....

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  Car of my Dreams - 1996 Nissan 300ZX
  By Wareagle - October 20 - 10:00 am

  A great road car, just running through the five speed gear box just makes you think of Le Mans. I hate to sell this car of my dreams, but health conditions will not allow me to drive in the future. Whomever buys this car complete with a bumper to bumper warranty to 84000 miles. It was the car of my dreams!!!!

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  eeee doggie - 1999 Nissan Maxima
  By diamond dawg - October 20 - 10:00 am

  what a car for the money. love the bose system, interior and exterior style. leather looks brand new.

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  SE-R Spec V - 2002 Nissan Sentra
  By Gurds7 - October 20 - 10:00 am

  This thing handles like it is on rails.0-60 in just over 7 seconds and brakes from 60 in 121 feet. This car is very fun to drive and draws lots of looks from others from its factory body kit and 17" wheels.